Gaming device manufacturers strive to make wagering gaming devices that provide as much enjoyment, entertainment and excitement as possible for players. Gaming tournaments, such as slot tournaments, are exciting for certain players and are a widely used form of casino promotion. Generally, a slot tournament is a group event where a plurality of players pay for or otherwise qualify to join the tournament. The players individually play the tournament on designated gaming machines. These designated gaming machines have the same gaming machine paytables. The players may either play the same number of games, play for the same allotted period of time or play with the same allotted initial amount of money or number of credits. The winner of the tournament is typically determined based on a highest tournament point score or a highest individual game score. At an end of the tournament, the gaming establishment provides the tournament winner an award.
Tournament awards are frequently funded with buy ins or with marketing dollars. Typically, the award for the tournament is a static award that is determined prior to the tournament. This award is frequently advertised with the tournament.
Therefore, there is a need for a new gaming system to improve aspects of the funding of tournament awards and to make tournaments even more exciting.